Category: Miscellaneous
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Top Eleven No. 1 – Are Restaurant Goers Superstitious?
A recent survey of air passengers showed a surprising level of superstitious activity among those about to board a flight (Ref. 1). Could it be that restaurant goers also harbour superstitions about their next eating out venture? If we matched the restaurant goers with air travellers would we find results like this? Top 11 list…
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Recipes for Australia Day
This time of the year, at least in the southern states of Australia, the flowering gums are glorious. It is also when we celebrate Australia Day, on January 26. It is a contentious date because it celebrates white settlement in Australia. The issue has been thoughtfully addressed here. In 2015 the Prime Minister and Leader…
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Kaffir in the Limelight
If you have the space in your garden or on your balcony, consider obtaining a kaffir lime tree for both looks and flavours. We have had one surviving quite happily in a large planter pot for about ten years. It hasn’t ever grown actual fruit, but we use the leaves frequently, picking them almost as…
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What’s in the Fridge? No. 1
We love to cook with leftovers or with what’s in the fridge or freezer or on the pantry shelves. Last week we were staying with friends on the Mornington Peninsula for the 2016 Peninsula Summer Music Festival. We hadn’t all synchonised which concerts we would be attending. On Wednesday evening some of us had a…
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For New Year’s Eve
We will spend this New Year’s Eve at a friend’s apartment which has a wonderful view over Melbourne. There will be a dozen or so of us, starting around 8.30 pm. The aim is to make it through to midnight, waiting for the fireworks. Everyone will ‘bring a plate’ and, no doubt, there will be…
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A Salad for Christmas Day
This was one of the surprise dishes for us in 2015. It is what we will be preparing this Christmas. Rhonda’s family have their Christmas dinner in the evening and there is always a big crowd. Always our role is to prepare the entree, while others contribute with turkey and ham, vegetables in different guises,…
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Forty years at Main Ridge Estate
In 1975, Rosalie and Nat White (Rhonda’s sister and brother-in-law) bought a lemon orchard at Main Ridge, near Red Hill and Arthurs Seat, on the Mornington Peninsula. Their goal was to establish a vineyard and make wine that they hoped would be of exceptional quality. From a risky beginning … With all but one of…
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GST Changes and Fresh Food
If the full GST model is implemented, expect fresh food, fruit and vegetables in particular, to increase in price by 15% and expect your ‘cost of living’ to go up by around 10%. Today, Friday 11 December 2015, the Australian Federal Government will be meeting with the state governments at the Council of Australian Governments…